Tuesday, August 24, 2010

I am in a time zone different from the usual and I see posts from other times that are posted later than my current time. From the future? I imagine. I also note that posts are naturally edited for the intended general audience because there's no point in putting in detail that which others need not be aware of. Be careful what you try to conceal to those who see.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Inspired by foodinjars.com and fueled by the need for comfort, I rounded up all the apples in the fruit bowl and fridge and made applesauce. I prepped 6 pint jars but filled only 2. I guess putting up a quart is one outlet for me.

Looked at the tomatoes on the vine as I grazed on alpine strawbs growing underneath. Ate a handful of yellow tomatoes that burst like candy in my mouth. Almost wish the rest stay green because now I see them as pickles.

Anyone know how to prepare tomato plant leaves? Got a lot of them and working in the kitchen is an outlet for me: all the work kills my appetite as I prepare food for the future.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

On the way home this weekend from the Sierra foothills I stopped at a fruit stand and bought fruit with the intent to preserve it in jars. A flat of strawberries called to me. This summer is unusually cool, and the berries looked good this late in the season. I scoured the kitchen and pulled out all the jars I could find, which was a surprisingly large number, considering I'd given my sister more than a dozen that were sitting around for several years.

As I prepped the strawbs last night, I realized that a "full batch" recipe only used three plastic basketsful. And I had TWELVE in a flat. That's a lot of batches. And a lot of opportunity for experimenting in this new territory of preserving - I don't do this often. I think my first foray was putting up a dozen pints of brandied peaches in a previous life. I remember it was a lot of work and very rewarding. I also made blackberry jelly several years ago, and again more recently with two friends. We worked like a swiss watch and got a few dozen half-pints jars done in just a few hours. So of course I was primed to do this again.

I found a few recipes, studied them, and decided to go with a few variations of my own because I did not have all the ingredients, but I figured I had the critical ones.

(L to R) 2-Strawbs with Balsamic, 1-Strawbs with a hint of Lavender, 2-Strawbs and Peaches with a hint of C.

And this was the final lineup which includes 7 pint jars. I love hearing the ping of a vacuum seal.

It was a lot of work. It took a bit of time. And I used a ton of sugar. And there are still three baskets of strawbs in the fridge.
Yep, I went into machine-mode, moving along with everything in its place: dry separated from wet, each workstation in order.

Next time I'll either skim off the foam more diligently or fill the jars more quickly. I might try pickles next, or maybe something with a bunch of GREEN tomatoes because this unusually cool summer is going to end in just a few weeks, and that's all I'm going to get out of my garden.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

What to take on a break? After the first selections are made, 2 edits yield the following:•three unfinished knitting projects that are really close to completion•traveling watercolor kit•a book abt CA geology•another bk abt the migration of thought btwn China and EU centuries ago•scrabble•go (4 in a row)

Of course the other requisite journals and some type of clothing come along too. The spindle and fluff have reluctantly been put aside. Maybe a musical instrument comes along?

Monday, August 2, 2010

ok, here's a question:
Why would I affirm a request to a meeting if it is clear that the requestor has no thing to gain from my presence: no transaction of information or goods, no invitation to travel, no advancement, no performance or entertainment, no fodder to work with, no springboard of an idea that could be acknowledged in public? Hmm perhaps I consider myself too much again.

On the other hand why would I affirm a request to a meeting if what I say is met with a counter-statement or snark, where I feel the need to either apologize or affirm myself in an assertive manner in response to what is stated to me?

Ok this is not one question but two, neither which is appealing or desired.